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A new study found that Americans spend $50 billion a year on a product that offers virtually no benefits.

Over the years, vitamins and dietary supplements have proved to be ineffective. Still, this hasn’t prevented hundreds of catchy companies to capitalize on this market. A new study shows that Americans don’t care or don’t know any better, with them spending billions of dollars on these items.

A new report shows that over half of Americans take dietary supplements, contributing to an industry that’s valued at $50 billion a year. 

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The US Preventative Services Task Force published in JAMA Network a report that analyzed 84 different studies on dietary supplements, concluding that there’s no evidence to support the claim that dietary supplements can prevent cardiovascular disease or cancer. They also published an article that expanded on these scientific results.

“Unfortunately, based on the existing evidence, the Task Force cannot recommend for or against the use of most vitamins and minerals and is calling for more research,” said the USPSTF’s interim officer John Wong.

The results make it clear that dietary supplements offer virtually no effects for people who aren’t pregnant and who have no nutritional deficiencies.

The article that accompanied the results argues that the problem with these supplements is that they give people a false sense of security, taking their money while claiming to protect them from diseases when science has made it clear that these effects are not real. These products give people an out for following healthy diets and suggest that a pill can provide the same benefits of eating fruits and veggies and working out regularly.

“The USPSTF concluded that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of the use of multivitamin supplements, single supplements, or most paired supplements for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer (I statement),” write the study’s authors.

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Researchers concluded their study by relying on some well-worn advice. It’s important for people to eat healthily and to practice a healthy lifestyle, including plenty of physical activity. Dietary supplements are an expense and a distraction from maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.

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